Discussions about the liver and everything else related to health and wellness.

During the month of January, Chuck Garcia and I posted 31 entries to reflect a broad range of topics related to health and wellness – topics that you can review for the entire year. To make them easily accessible, I have re-posted them on a single blog entry. Enjoy them again, and share them with your friends and family.

I eat beets; lots of them and most days. Unfortunately, my family and colleagues at the office share neither my passion nor enthusiasm for this excellent vegetable. What a shame. They are missing out!

Beets originated in the Mediterranean. Like so many other colored vegetables, they started off being used primarily for medicinal purposes and grown solely for their leaves. It wasn’t until approximately the 1800s when beets became a common food (creative chefs in France then realized their amazing culinary potential). In addition, their rich purple color adds a great visual appeal when accompanied with other foods.

Part of the Amaranth family, beets, in particular the red-rooted garden beet are quite popular. They can be found and purchased all year round, but they are primarily a winter vegetable and thrive most when grown in cooler temperatures. Beet season runs from June through October, so you will be able to eat delicious beets all through the hot summer and into the early fall. Summertime is when they are the tenderest.

As nutrients go, they have detoxification qualities and are a great source of folate, which is essential for a healthy cardiovascular system. Additionally, beets are a good source of fiber, and known to help protect against colon cancer, birth defects and heart disease.

Don’t miss out on these. They are well worth it! I often put them over greens and add goat cheese, broccoli, walnuts, and grilled chicken. I then top them with olive oil and either Apple Cider, balsamic or coconut vinegar.

I eat a lot of salads. Sometimes my breakfast, lunch, and dinner all look alike. Loads of vegetables with animal protein on top. Years ago before I caught on to all the food science tricks, I used to top my salads with bottled dressing. Those days are long gone! If you look at the ingredients in the store bought dressing, you will be shocked. The additives and preservatives destroy the natural ingredients you are ultimately about to consume. Although many store bought salad dressings have fancy bottles and make many health claims, don’t believe it. Just read the contents. You’ll quickly change your mind.

Consequently, I top all of my meals with olive oil, and mix it with any one of three types of vinegar: balsamic, apple cider, or coconut. All add a very unique taste and are excellent complements to one of nature’s great gifts, olive oil.

There are some really great apple cider vinegar products on the market that are used by health food enthusiasts everywhere, and they’re really good for you! But I think coconut vinegarmay be even better because it comes from a source that’s naturally higher in minerals and other phytonutrients.

Although I am fond of all three types of vinegars, coconut is my favorite. While it tastes great, here’s some facts that help the cause; no bottled dressing even comes close.

Coconut vinegar is similar to other fermented vinegars such as apple cider and balsamic vinegars. It can either be made with coconut water or from the sap of the coconut tree. Coconut vinegar is a staple condiment in the Philippines, and is also used in some regions of India. Coconut vinegar is white and cloudy with a very pungent acidic taste and a hint of yeast. As with apple cider vinegar, coconut vinegar includes the “mother,” or culture of organisms that caused the fermentation. The sap used to make coconut vinegar comes from coconut trees grown in volcanic soil rich with minerals. The sap contains phosphorus, potassium, iron, magnesium, sulfur, boron, zinc, manganese and copper. It is especially rich in potassium.

Not to mention, when added to olive oil for a salad, it is tastes great. Who can ask for more?